
Rogan Josh is a mainstay of Kashmiri or Persian cuisine. Many spices contribute to the fragrant “red juice stew.” It’s sweeter and milder than Southern Indian curries, especially when you include caramelized sweet onions. My plant-based Rogan Josh recipe uses vegetables instead of the classic meats, with chickpea flour to add body and extra nutrition. It costs just $2.34 a serving using mostly organic ingredients.
I don’t usually use spice mixes, but like a classic curry blend, Rogan Josh seasoning makes dinner a snap when you don’t want to buy or measure a long list of spices. I get my Rogan Josh Seasoning mix from Penzeys Spices. It includes ingredients I don’t keep on hand, such as Tellicherry black pepper, Korintje cinnamon, and saffron, plus paprika, ginger, garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne, cardamom, and cloves.

Prep Time | 20 |
Passive Time | 10 minutes |
Servings |
servings
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- 1/2 teaspoon peanut oil
- 1 medium Vidalia-style onion or red onions, chopped
- 1 medium bell pepper chopped
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons rogan josh seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 16 ounces diced fire-roasted tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups collards about 2 medium leaves including stems
- 2 tablespoons chickpea flour also called garbanzo-bean flour or besan
Ingredients
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- Heat peanut oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add chopped onion and bell pepper, stir, and reduce heat to low. Pull or cut collard leaves from stems. Chop stems into 1/2-inch pieces and add to skillet. Cook for about 15 minutes until quite soft, stirring occasionally.
- Stack collard leaves and roll up like a cigar. Cut across to make thin ribbons and then once or twice lengthwise to cut ribbons into sections. When onions are beginning to turn golden at the edges, stir garlic and spices into onion mixture, spoon on diced tomatoes but not the tomato juice. Top with collard ribbons without stirring, cover, and cook on low for 5 minutes.
- Stir chickpea flour into reserved tomato juice. Stir this sauce into vegetable mixture, cover, and cook on low for 10 minutes, stirring once or twice to avoid burning. Don't worry if it sticks a bit to the pan. When all vegetables are tender, taste and adjust seasonings.
- Serve Rogan Josh Vegetable Curry hot on a plate or in a bowl with garlic toast or roti. It would also be good over rice or quinoa or in a wrap. Choose gluten-free additions of course if needed.
- If you don't have Rogan Josh seasoning, use curry powder instead with a pinch of cinnamon and cardamom.
- I used collards in this recipe, but beet greens or ruby chard would help it live up to its traditional name of "red juice stew." Really any vegetables you enjoy in curries would be tasty in this dish.
- Use chickpea flour to thicken and enhance other juicy, savory dishes too. Just stir a tablespoon of chickpea flour into a quarter cup of room-temperature juice or broth from the recipe for every serving. Warm liquid could cause the flour to clump.
Nutritional Information for Rogan Josh Vegetable Curry
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